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Is it a good idea to introduce a "friend" for an anxious dog?

37 replies

MotherJack · 07/06/2011 00:04

She loves other dogs and whilst my recall is not 100% it is pretty good (I have had her since last October and am making leaps and bounds but where other dogs are concerned, since she found her four feet, I lose if I don't see them first/don't already have her engaged in a tug game. She loves to run with other dogs... and loves their company. She is old, yet comes more alive (even more so than when I throw beloved tennis ball and pull ragger).

I know I could just put in a request to Doris Banham who have all sorts of rescue dogs, but.... she is anxious... very. I can't move around the house without her following at the mo and if she suspects I am going out (I really do not give any signals or make any fuss whatsoever) she panics.... I am doing all I know to try to alleviate her anxiety.

When she sees a dog in the street she melts into a waggy fish like wiggly thing. She misses her female doggy friend who I look after when her owner can't look after her... and whilst she is old she won't take any nonsense.

Would introducing a suitable friend potentially cause problems in terms of her anxiety?

She is currently in her day-bed in the kitchen, inhaling her DAP diffuser...

Any thought/suggestions/ramblings appreciated. Thanks Smile

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MotherJack · 08/06/2011 11:02

I can see her in the red one.... it reminds me of a very pretty bandana.

Problem with greys is - as much as I do like them and their exercise requirements would be suitable for my son - OldLady would probably like a bumbler like herself that she can potter around with off lead and have a tug of war over a stick (rather embarrassingly happened on holiday - I didn't know she could swim so it came as a bit of a surprise as she swam the width of a river to go and play with a black labrador on the other side and play tug with the lab's stick Blush).

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emptyshell · 08/06/2011 13:05

May not be able to get another dog anyhow now - my glasses just broke so I'm going to need to buy a new pair which will prob be the rehoming fee money :( fucking gutted.

Scuttlebutter · 08/06/2011 13:09

Oh No!! Shock That's awful, Empty. Glasses are v expensive.

Though I shouldn't be posting on here as I've been banned. Wink

emptyshell · 08/06/2011 13:18

Pissed off cos my spare pair hubby "fixed" have superglue all over the lenses so I can hardly see out of the buggers. Currently sat here trying to chew superglue off with my teeth (cos anthing else is scratching them) and have left hubby the other pair to Macgyver and try and fix tonight.

Not happy bunny!

MotherJack · 08/06/2011 13:37

Are the lenses glass or plastic and do they have a coating on them?

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emptyshell · 08/06/2011 15:12

Knowing me they're as cheap as possible (and about 4 years old) lol.

Operation superglue-chew semi successful.... hopefully hubby can fix my good pair cos these are pink!

MotherJack · 08/06/2011 16:03

If you can determine that they are glass, then you could dab nail polish remover on the glue residue, leave on for an hour and then pick off (don't nibble it off afterwards!). If the frames are plastic, make sure it doesn't touch them - you can use a cotton bud to apply to avoid any spillage. If the lenses are plastic then ignore any advice to use nailpolish remover as you won't be able to see out of them at all!

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emptyshell · 10/06/2011 18:16

Ok since I haven't heard anything back STILL about even getting a homecheck - I'm PMing scuttle... AIBU to think that 3 weeks with my contact details, address and a "please do us a homecheck so we can find a dog" warrants at least an email back saying "bear with us while we arrange a homecheck - you're on the list" type response?

Tell me if I'm being lunatic impatient woman - all I wanted to know was that we were on their list of checks to do!

MotherJack · 10/06/2011 18:25

Not sure, ES, although I'll vote for you being a lunatic Wink

I looked at one of the local rescues here and they will only do a homecheck once you have a specific dog in mind. Makes sense after I thought about it. I admit I was initially thinking they would homecheck for when the right one comes along.

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emptyshell · 10/06/2011 18:46

The emails we'd been having said "ok do you want to go ahead with a homecheck then?" Then everything went silent. I'd assume that, especially with the cat-factor they would want to make sure there was a suitable home there before starting to hunt for a specific hound.

Just the fact I didn't even get anything like "ok we'll put you on the waiting list for homechecks" or similar.

minimu1 · 11/06/2011 13:29

It is not a given that an anxious dog will get better with another dog. You do need to look carefully at the dog that you are introducing. Some dogs can actually transfer their anxiety to the other dog and the dogs together can become anxious and lack confidence. Equally saying that many a time I have seen an anxious dog enjoy the company of another dog.

My gut feeling would be to work on the anxiety before you introduce another dog - get to see some improvement and then think again about getting another dog. You don't want the anxious dog to be over reliant on the other dog and equally you will have less time to give to anxious dog if you have another dog.

I don't want to put a damper on it but there is no such thing as a "perfect" dog and you may find you have different things you need to work on with dog number 2 and then dog number 1 does not have the time they need to help with their anxiety.

MotherJack · 11/06/2011 16:58

Thanks Minimu. I'm working all the time on her anxiety - which has improved, massively, but she had a relapse a few weeks ago... we're on the up again. I've lots of time to work with her... which is lucky really, as at 9 she wasn't housetrained... (You helped me with that, too!) She has a friend who comes over to stay from time to time who she adores and they are brilliant together and OldLady's confidence soars - but I will certainly take on board your advice. Thank you Smile

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